Afghanistan is a landlocked country located in the heart of Asia. The Food Safety Law has been enacted recently by the parliament and a national food safety board will be established under the leadership of Ministry of Public Health with co-chairing of Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Livestock, the board will replace the medicine and food board, and it will also be responsible to monitor implementation of the law and strengthening coordination among relevant government departments on food safety. Afghanistan also recently become member of World Trade Organization, the development of a number of regulations, protocols and procedures are under process as requirement for smoothly implementation of food safety law and also ensuring consumer protection.

Framework

Regulatory framework:

My country is in the process in developing a regulatory framework that requires the competent authority to conduct safety assessment of GM food.

Structure for GM food safety assessment:

My country is in the process in developing a structure for GM food safety assessment.

Supplemental information:

The food safety law has been recently enacted by the parliament and development of a number of structures under the law are under process (e.g. food control authority) which will oversee all process on food quality control and safety in the country. The food safety regulation drafted by Ministry of Public Health is under process in the Ministry of Justice and ready to be approved by council of ministries. Also 17 procedures on food safety has drafted by MoPH which soon will be approved.

The Afghanistan Food Security and Nutrition Agenda (AFSeN) has established recently under the Council of Ministers Secretariat which has a High level steering committee chaired by H.E. Chief Executive, and an executive Food and Nutrition security Committee. The secretariat of AFSeN is working under the General Directorate of Council of Ministries with three main technical committees namely Nutrition Technical working group, Food security technical working group and advocacy and public awareness technical working groups. The core ministries in the technical and high level of steering committees are MoPH ,MAIL,MoCI,MRRD, MoF, MoE, MoLSAMD and MoWE. The AFSeN secretariat is providing back support on food safety issues which affecting the health and nutrition status of Afghan people through different channels.

Contact details of the competent authority(s) responsible for the safety assessment and the product applicant:

There are two facilities in the country working on quality control food safety issues, the food and medicine lab in Ministry of Public Health and Food quality and testing lab in Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Livestock, but they don’t have the capacity to analyze GMO foods.

Assessment

GM food safety assessment guidelines:

My country does not conduct safety assessment of GM food and we do not plan to develop any guidelines for GM food safety assessment.

Conduct of GM food safety assessment:

My country has never conducted safety assessment of GM food and will not (be able to) conduct such assessment in the near future.

Supplemental information on the implementation:

Stacked events

Regulation of stacked events:

My country is in the process of developing relevant regulations on stacked events.

Supplemental information on the stacked events:

Production and trade

GM food/feed production:

My country does not produce any GM food or feed.

GM food/feed imports:

My country may import GM food or feed and there is no authorization process.

Supplemental information on the production and trade:

LLP/AP incidents

LLP/AP incidents:

My country does not monitor LLP/AP situations.

Supplemental information on the LLP/AP incidents:

Labelling requirement

Labelling requirement:

My country does not have any labeling regulations/policies on GM food.

Supplemental information on the Labelling requirement:

my country has labeling standard and a technical regulation on that but there is no any specific labeling regulation/policy on GM food.

Relevant links to documents and information prepared by the competent authority responsible for the safety assessment